The Assassin's Daughter
by SmartAssAssassin
Summary: The Crock sisters are well known in the world. Jade, the slippery, cunning assassin and Artemis the fearless, tough archer. But there is a third, less well known sister that hides in the shadows. The youngest of the three that no one ever sees. Now after 11 years of being away she's back with a dark secret and a hidden past. Who is chasing her and how far will they go to catch her?


**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or any of their original characters. **

_I never should've gotten out of bed. _That thought was the only thing running through Artemis's head as she stared down the line of the hand gun clutched calmly in her hand the shadowed figure standing in her living room. The heightened senses she had acquired from her training as an assassin had allowed her to sense the presence of this unknown intruder and to effortlessly gain the upper hand.

At least, that's what she thought…until the shadowed figure spoke.

"Redbrook."

The whispered word slipped easily off the intruder's tongue and the young archer's eyes went wide.

"It can't be", she muttered under her breath as she gaped at the figure, "It's been eleven years. They took you away. I saw them."

The intruder snorted.

"Just because they take you, doesn't mean they can hold you."

Artemis shook her head in disbelief. "It's not possible." Her gray eyes narrowed, trying to see through the shadows that shrouded the figure. "Bex." The blonde archer could feel the smirk on the intruder's face as they stepped into the light and placed a hand on their cocked hip.

"What's the matter sis", she purred mockingly, "You look like you've seen a ghost. A very ALIVE ghost."

Artemis could do nothing, but gap at the young woman that now stood before her. She looked so different, so grown up. Not at all the terrified little girl she had seen the Shadows drag away, screaming as they held her big sisters back.

Obviously she was taller, standing at a proud 5'8, mostly attributed to her skyscraper legs that protruded out of her tiny black shorts disappeared into knee-high black boots. Her dark brown curls now had a slightly reddish tint to them as they bounced around her chin, cropped shorter than Artemis remembered. She still had large stormy blue eyes, but they now had flecks of green and seemed to flash with mischief and confidence. Dark lashes curled up to her arched eyebrows and sheathed her eyes. The nose was no longer short and button-like; it now slopped elegantly down her face to her full, red-tinted lips that split into a crooked grin, her teeth a flash of white against her bronze skin.

The last time Artemis saw her, she was wearing a white, cotton night gown, turned red with blood. Now she wore a black tube top that was more like a band across her chest, small black shorts, and knee-high black boots. A utility belt hung loosely around her waist and she could just see the tops of two guns peeking out from her boots. A black leather whip curled up one arm and a sniper rifle was strapped across her back, within easy reach of her black, finger-less gloved hands. She looked like an assassin and Artemis couldn't help but wonder just what they'd done to get her like that.

Bex rolled her eyes. "Jeez Arty, I know I've been gone a while and I look different, but can you please try not to gap like that. It's not exactly a pretty picture."

The blonde archer gave herself a mental shake and crossed her arms over her chest, her face falling into an expressionless mask.

"That's the understatement of the year", she snapped, her eyes narrowing, "You've been gone for eleven years, Bex. Jade and I thought you were dead. Now you show up here, essentially coming back from the dead, and expect me to be totally indifferent? Well news flash, I'm not. My baby sister just came back from the dead and I'd like to know what the hell happened to her. So tell me Bex. Where the fuck were you?"

The young girl smirked.

"Oh you know", she said waving her hand flippantly as she strolled over to the couch and plopped down, "Here and there. There more than here to clarify."

Artemis simply glared stonily at her in response.

Bex sighed and leaned forward, her hands dangling off her knees.

"Ok look, I know I've been gone a while and I know you want answers and I promise I will give them to you, but for now there's really something else we need to discuss. This isn't exactly a social call."

Artemis took in her long lost sister's tense posture and serious expression and nodded, leaning back against the kitchen table behind her. "So talk. What's up?"

Bex hesitated a moment, as if choosing her words carefully. She opened her mouth to begin when a loud yawn echoed down the short hallway beside Artemis and a sleepy voice calling, "Artemis, babe, where are you? I just woke up and you were gone."

Seeming to appear out of nowhere, Wally stumbled out the hallway and into the small area between the kitchen and living room where he proceeded to wrap his arms affectionately around the blonde archer's waist, completely unaware of the solemn teen sitting only feet away. He nuzzled her neck warmly and shot her his famous crooked grin. "Come back to bed Arty. What were you doing up anyway?"

Artemis sighed and shook her head, unable to figure out whether she wanted to kiss him or slap him. Slapping him seemed to be the more appropriate option seeing as her baby sister sat only five feet away. So she did.

"Ow", he cried with a laugh, rubbing his shoulder half in amusement and half in actual physical pain, "What was that for?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Take a good look around Baywatch", she said slowly, falling back on the old nickname, "You seemed to have gotten denser with age."

Wally rolled his eyes. "I'm only 20 Arty. I wouldn't exactly call that age. And besides", he slid his arm back around her waist and yanked her against him with a smirk, "It's hard to notice anything else when you're around babe."

She sighed and smiled affectionately up at him, finding his cheesiness endearing.

"You know as much fun as it is watching you two make goo goo eyes at each other is, we really need to get down to business. You know, while I'm still young."

The two heroes jumped apart startled into awareness once again. Artemis fought down a blush as Wally whipped around wide eyed and gaped at the young woman that sat on his couch. His shocked gaze immediately looked suspicious and tensed ready to run should the need arise. "Who are you", he asked cautiously, shifting ever so subtly in front of Artemis who simply rolled her eyes in response, "and what are you doing here?"

Bex sighed in irritation and said, "We don't have time for explanations. I need your help. I'm in way over my head and, unfortunately, I've caught the attention of someone very, in a word evil."

Artemis frowned in concern and walked over to sit next to her baby sister. "Who is it, Bex? What's happened?"

She sighed heavily and rubbed a hand down her face. "It's a long story, but you already know him. Artemis, _HE'S _back. And he's come to finish what he's started. Starting with me."

Artemis's eyes widened significantly and fear washed through her.

_Yep. Definitely should've stayed in bed._

* * *

**Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry it's been so long since I've update any of my stories, but my English teacher is kicking my ass so I'v been putting in a lot of study hours in an attempt to keep my grades steady. It's actually in that class that I got the idea for this story. I've always wanted to do something like it, but could never find the words, so I'm so excited that I've finally managed to get it down in words. Please tell me what you think. I'd love to hear from you guys. And I promise, I'll try to update more often. Til next time.**

**~SAA~**


End file.
